AirPods Will Need More Time Before They Are Ready, Apple Says

HIGHLIGHTS

Apple said on Wednesday that its wireless AirPods headphones, which were suppose to hit the market this month, will be delayed.

The company did not specify the reason for the delay.

“We don’t believe in shipping a product before it’s ready, and we need a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers,” Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said in an email to Reuters.

Apple unveiled the AirPods at the launch of the latest iPhone models last month – the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The new iPhones come without the analogue 3.5mm headphone jack, and instead rely on the Lightning port. The AirPods will be priced at $159 (Rs. 15,400 in India).

The AirPods plugs into the same port as the recharging cord, making it incompatible with most wired headphones without a Lightning-to-3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter. Apple includes the adapter with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. However, if you happen to lose the Lightning EarPods or the adapter, you will have to purchase them separately for Rs. 2,500 ($29 in US) and Rs. 900 ($9 in US) respectively.

In a statement to TechCrunch, Apple said, “The early response to AirPods has been incredible. We don’t believe in shipping a product before it’s ready, and we need a little more time before AirPods are ready for our customers.”The AirPods are powered by Apple’s new W1 wireless chip, the company’s first wireless chip, which enable quick pairing and connectivity with the iPhone. The earphones are completely wire-free, with separate ear buds that are not connected to each other physically. The headset also features dual optical sensors and accelerometers in each ear bud which work with the W1 chip which detect when the headphones are in your ears and only play when you’re ready to listen. Double-tapping the AirPods enables Siri, and the microphone is designed to focus on voice and filter out external sound.